Device adapted to be used in the production of conical paper cups



Nov. 17, 1964 Filed Dec. 27, 1962 w. SCHMIDT 3,157,096 DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF comcm. PAPER CUPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WERNER SCHMIDT DEZSOE STEINHERZ ATTORNEY.

Nov. 17, 1964 w. SCHMIDT 3,157,096 DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE. USED IN THE PRODUCTION 'OF CONICAL PAPER CUPS Filed Dec. 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I'NVENTOR WERNER SCHMIDT BY DEZSOE STEINHERZ ATTORNEY.

Nov. 17, 1964 w. SCHMIDT 3,157,096

DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE USED IN THE PRQDUCTION OF CONICAL PAPER CUPS Filed Dec. 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4a.

INVENTOR WERNER SCHMIDT DEZSOE STEINHERZ.

DEVIQE ADAPTED TO BE UED IN THE PRU- DUCTIGN F CQNIQAL PAPER CUPS Werner Schmidt, Hamburg, Germany, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Rissen G.m.b.H., a corporation of Germany Filed Dec. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 247,636 7 Claims. (ill. 93-395) This invention relates to a device for laying a cutting with overlapping edges round a mandrel which is moved on a curved path, by means of swingably arranged wrapping levers provided with pressing surfaces. The device of the invention can be used particularly for the production of conical'paper cups, the side wall of which is wound from a correspondingly cut out piece of paper. After the side wall is cemented, subsequently a bottom is inserted and connected by flanging with said side wall. If desired, the larger upper opening can be turned down so that a drinking cup or a packaging container is formed.

The device according to the present invention is not limited to the production of the mantle parts of such cups and can be used with equal advantage for forming the mantle parts of cylindrical boxes. As starting material, paper as well as cardboard and soft metal foil, for example aluminum foil of the type used for bottle caps, and also plastic material, for example polyvinyl chloride foils, can be employed.

The formation of a side wall of this type can be carried out according to various methods in conventional manner. The formation of the side wall on a mandrel has the advantage that thereby a particularly high exactness is attained and this has an especially advantageous effect in machines which take up this side wall onto a mandrel during the final manufacturing step, i.e. during hanging" or during insertion of the bottom. If the side wall is formed in a bushing and if a mandrel is used for the final processing step, then in conical cups the interior diameter and thus the position of the side wall on the mandrel used for the final processing, is dependent on the wall thickness of the paper and this results in the absence of satisfactory exactness and irregularities of the finished product. If, however, for the forming of the side wall as well as for final processing mandrels are used, then it is guaranteed that the axial position on the mandrel is widely independent from the thickness of the paper. In order to produce and shape such side wall on a mandrel various procedures have been followed. According to the best known process the suitably cut out paper is placed on a rotatable mandrel with a lateral edge and the latter is held fast by means of clamps or by suction on the mandrel, whereupon the mandrel is caused to rotate and causes the paper out out to wind around the mandrel, whereby automatically an overlapping takes place. By using this process the paper can be wound relatively easily also in several layers However, this process is somewhat troublesome and first of all requires that the mandrels should rotate and it takes a certain period of time to finish this process step. Furthermore, procedures have been suggested for putting around this mandrel, in a manner similar to that used by forming folding boxes. In this process, .the formation of the side wall by putting the paper around a mandrel, it is difiicult to attain the overlappin correctly, i.e. in such manner that according to plan at the overlapping at which the cut out pieces are cemented to each other, one part of the paper becomes placed under the other part of the cut out. This problem has been solved by carrying out the desired step first approximately and then subsequently by the action of strong suction cause the i United States Patent O so i the side wall by means of correspondingly shaped tools overlapping parts to join the mandrel before a shutter ember definitively cements the shape thus formed.

Furthermore, a device for laying in overlapping position a cut out round a mandrel by means of swingably arranged pressing surfaces which follow the movement of the mandrel has also been known. But in this known device the full eiliciency of the pressing surfaces ceases after exceeding their shortest mutual distance, by the mandrel. However, it would be of advantage if the pressing surfaces would be still fully effective when the mandrel has exceeded their shortest distance, so that the cut out is drawn taut in this manner. This advantage is attained in the device according to the present invention by giving the wrapping levers the shape of pliers the legs of which are elastically kept together by springs.

Wrapping levers by themselves have been konwn. However, these known wrapping levers are used for inserting end parts into sliding inserts for containers.

In using the device of the present invention safe overlapping is attained without the necessity of applying indraft and care is taken that by the action of mechanical or friction forces, the cut-outs are tautly wound round the mandrel so that due to the uniformity of tension of the cut-out the accuracy to size of the side wall is secured. According to a specific feature of the invention, the opening of the elastic pliers is limited by a stop to a size that it just clamps the mandrel and the paper when the wrapping edge is located at about the connecting line of both swinging centers of the wrapping levers.

Advantageously, the pliers located outside the curved path which function last and press the overlapping part,

pass over the overlapping proper and has a comb-like design at its wrapping edge, a closing member consisting of two parts being thereby provided, one of said parts fitting into the wrapping edge, while the other part fits into the omissions of the comb of the corresponding parts of the closing member and, after the swinging away of the wrapping pliers, falls into the gaps of the closing member part and thereby pressesthe adhesive seam along the full length.

The wrapping lever can be covered-on its wrapping part with an elastic member which clings to the mandrel and the intermediate material to be wrapped during the rolling down movement and thereby carries out a relative movement against the mandrel in the direction of overlapping, whereby the material to be wrapped round the mandrel is drawn taut.

The device of the present invention is particularly suitable for being built into an automatic machine. In this case preferably several mandrels are arranged on a rotating table and the swinging levers have revolving designs, which are of such construction that upon rotation of the table in each case a pair of wrapping levers move together with the mandrel, the table being adapted to be switched intermittently or operated continuously.

The appended drawings illustrate by way of example and without limitation a specific embodiment of and best mode of carrying out the invention.

In the drawings p FIGURE 1 shows a wound jacket part;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the device of the invention in different operating phases;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the mandrel and the wrapping lever having an elastic member;

FIGURE 4 illustrates each wrapping lever designed as pliers;

FIGURE 4a is a plan View of the structure shown in FIGURE 4, certain parts being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIGURES 5A and 5B are diagrammatic illustrations of the positions 3 and 4 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 illustrates the arrangement of the device in an automatic machine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the mandrel 1 is movably arranged on a circular are R. The mandrel is shown in FIG. 2 in several positions, i.e. in positions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The mandrel carries a ledge 6 which brings about a sucking eifect. T o a position in front of the mandrel 1 -a paper cut-out is brought by a separate device described here further below. If now mandrel 1 moves in the direction of the arrow, it takes along the cut-out '7, which is deflected by rails 3 and 9 and takes up the form shown in position 2 in FIG. 2. A flap 10 is arranged behind the mandrel in such manner that it is movable in the direction of the mandrel, so that after assembling and overlapping both flaps of the cut-out, it can be pressed to it and can complete cementing, as a closing flap. If now the mandrel passes from position 2 to position 3, it will come in contact with the interior wrapping lever 11, while the outer wrapping lever 12 is still in its rest position determined by a stop. During further movement of the mandrel, the arc-shaped cut-out 13 of the inner lever 11 is caused more and more to swing toward the mandrel until it contacts the paper flap 14 and moves the later toward the mandrel. Somewhat later, the outer lever 12 will have the same eifect. As said outer lever turns outside the swinging center of the mandrel, while the center of the inner lever 11 is located within this swinging, the wrapping edge 15 of lever 11 necessarily reaches the mandrel earlier than wrapping edge 16 of wrapping lever 12. From this it follows that in FIG. 2 the right fiap of the paper to be pressed is first pressed, while the left flap is put on somewhat later whereby it will lay beyond the right flap. If the flaps lie in the here described manner one above the other, the closing flap 10 is caused to lie against them (by a mechanism not shown here in detail), so that the position which is reached by the wrapping lever definitively determines the form of the side wall. The wrapping step is completed when the mandrel has reached the position 3, because the actual wrapping members, i.e. 15 and 16, move away again from the mandrels as the swinging movement of the mandrel proceeds. Thereby it is assumed that the mandrel proper starts movement of the wrapping levers over the edges 17 and 18 thereof. In

position 5, the complete procedure is terminated. The

wrapping levers are again completely swung away from the mandrel and return into their starting position 2 under the action of return forces which are not described here in detail, while the cut-out is wound around the mandrel in the exaggerately thick condition and is held by the closing flap in this position. The closing flap 10 is later opened again as soon as the glue which has been previously applied to the cut-out has set. The jacket thus closed is taken off from the mandrel. It would be advisable if the edges 15 and 16 of the wrapping levers would still act on the cut-out beyond the position 3, because during this period they still move relative to the mandrel in the direction toward the overlapping zone and thereby draw taut the cut-out until the edges 15 and 16 are about in one line with the swinging points of the wrapping levers (position 4). This can be clearly seen from FIG. 2. The angle 19 is larger than angle 20. The edge 15 has the smallest distance from the center of the mandrel in position 4. In order to attain an extended effect of the wrapping lever, the latter is made in such manner that the edge 17 can be elastic in the direction of edge 15 and can thus press the edge 15 against the mandrel. This is attained by designing the wrapping levers in the form of pliers as shown in FIG. 4. The pliers consist of a leg 20 and a member 21 which is elastic against said leg. This member carries a roll 22 and upon the action of the latter a pressure spring 23 presses together the pliers. Thereby, due to the action of a stop 26 the opening 24 between the roll 22 and the edge 25 corresponding to the edge 15, retains a minimum size. Such a combination of pliers and a lever is pressed apart, for example in position 3 (FIG. 2), because the distance 24 has its maximum in this position. This can be clearly seen from the diagrammatical drawing FIG. 5 wherein the upper part 27 corresponds to the position 3 and the lower part 28 to the position 4 in FIG. 2. The distance 24 between the symbolized wrapping edge 25 and the roll 22 in position 27 is larger than in the position 23. The minimum distance has a size which corresponds to position 28. Due to the fact that the interpolar opening cannot become smaller, upon further movement of the mandrel 4 the pliers become loose and is removed from the mandrel without further effect on the paper. This is necessary because otherwise the edge 25 would be removed from the overlapping zone proper relative to the mandrel and would thus exert friction on the cut-out and this would unfavorably alfect the taut drawing together thereof.

In order to render the overlapping still safer and to improve the uniformity still more, the outer wrapping lever which-as described above is designed as pliersis lengthened with its wrapping edge to such an extent that it passes beyond the overlapping zone and the wrapping edge 25 almost contacts the inner wrapping pliers. This lengthened front part of the pliers is designed as a comb in such manner still to be described that the closing flap structure 30 (corresponding to the means 10 of FIG. 2) fits exactly into these comb-like cut-outs of wrapping edge 29. In this manner the overlapping in the above described form is fixed and the side wall cannot slip apart. If, however, the mandrel has been swung further, for example to position 5, and, therefore, the edge 29 completely disappears from the overlapping zone, then a second flap structure 31which is released by curve 32 at this moment-reaches the overlapping in alternating relation to the pressing elements of the flap structure 30, so that the axially continuous clamping or pressing of the glue seam of the side wall overlapping is not interrupted.

The above described process is particularly suitable for use in an automatic machine, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 6. At each of the four mandrels 34-37 one closing flap 38-41 is located. Furthermore, there are the rotating wrapping members 42, 43 on the machine. The mandrels 34-37 are fastened on a rotating table 44, while the axes of rotating members 42, 43 are suspended on a cross traverse which is arranged above the mandrels so that one device can pass along the other device. Thus, the closing flaps 38-41 are only on their part 45 as high as the mandrels while the shafts 46 are so arranged axially that they can swing below the rotating wrapping members. The supply of material for the cutting-outs takes place by the double gripping device 47, which receives from a supply device (not shown here) at 48 a cut-out consisting e.g. of paper and puts it by swinging by in the position 4%, directly in front of the mandrel. The mandrel 37 takes along the cut-out and as shown in FIG. 2 and upon passing along the wrapping rails, which correspond to positions 8 and 9 of FIG. 2, the cut-out is bent so that the shaping is completed by the rotating members 42 and 43 until the closing flap 39 completes the closing step. If the mandrel 34 passes further with the closed closing flap, it comes first to position 35, then to position 36, where the closing flap opens again due to control by cams and the finished jacket is removed by automatic means not shown here in detail, e.g. compressed air or a mechanical ejector here not shown from the mandrel, and passes to further processing.

Finally, for further improvement and in order to attain a uniform tension in drawing the cut-out around the mandrel, a process as shown in FIG. 3 is used. The taking mandrel is here shown in the drawing in position 2 of FIG. 2 and the wrapping lever edge 52 in FIG. 3 corresponds to edge 15 in FIG. 2. On this edge 52 a rubber band 54 is stretched. This rubber band joins closely the material to be wound around the mandrel '50 and produces by its movement relative to the mandrel upon swinging of the lever a friction stress in the direction of the overlapping. An equal elastic member is arranged on the outer swinging lever and the swinging rotary member. shows, of course, strong and fast Wear. In order to avoid this, the rubber band can be replaced by a steel band which lays around the edge 56, which is designed as a roll, is tensioned by draw spring 55 and has thus the same eifect as a rubber band.

Referring to the closing mechanism or part 10, mentioned above in connection with FIG. 2, a structure for such a mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 4a. The bolt 57 is carried in fixed hearings or supports 57a and 57b by the same disc 80 to which the mandrel 58 is likewise fastened. However, the cam discs 32 and 32 are mounted separately. The center of these cam discs may coincide with the center of rotation of the disc 80 which carries the mandrel 58 and turning bolt 57. The terminal pressing portion of the wrapping member or leg 29 (see FIG. 4a) is formed as a comb having a plurality of, for example three, spaced teeth 101, 102 and 103. The close ing flap structure 30 comprises a plurality of, for example two, essentially U-shaped members 104 and 105 pivotally mounted on the bolt 57 at axially spaced locations along the latter. The free feet 30a and 30b of these members are adapted to fit into the respective spaces defined between theteeth 101 to 103 of the member 29. When so disposed, these teeth and the presser feet 30a and 30b constitute a continuous pressing structure which is substantially coextensive with the entire seam or overlap of the cut-out 7. In a similarmanner, the closing flap structure 31 comprises a plurality of, for example three, essentially U-shaped members 106, 107 and 108 which are pivotally mounted on the bolt 57 in alternating relationship with the members 104 and 105 of the flap structure 30. In FIG. 4a the members 106 to 108 are shown displaced about 180 out of their operating position merely for the sake of clarity. The cam follower 60 is associated with the members 106 to 108 of'the structure 31. In the peripheral range 59 of the cam disc 32 the cam follower roll 60 is lifted. Thereby, the pressing structure 31 (members 106 to'108) is lifted from the mandrel. A corresponding control means comprising cam 32' and cam follower 60' can be used for the press ing structure 30, which, together with structure 31, corresponds to closing flap in FIG. 2. When the depression 63 reaches the roller 60, which will occur just as the teeth of the member 29 leave the glued seam, the presser feet 31a, 31b and 31c will lie against the mandrel 58, preferably under the effect of a spring means 81 which permanently acts on the structure 31; similarly, spring means 82 acts on the structure 30. Thus, the presser feet 31a to 31c, positioned in alternating relationship to the presser feet 30a and 30b, take over the function theretofore performed by the teeth 101 to 10-3 and ensure the continued pressing of the seam along its entire length.

In connection with the pressing levers in FIG. 6, the part which cooperates with a control cam is not shown. It should be imagined that the axes of rotation 61 of these levers carry on the other side the cam follower part and the cam disc is also located there.

Other mechanisms can be likewise constructed, but the construction described seems to be particularly simple.

When the wrapping levers 11 and 12 have released one mandrel (it is then located about in position 5), they must return for the next mandrel to position 2. This can be effected e.g. by a spring action indicated at 84 and 84. Against spring action the wrapping levers can be taken along by the mandrel. If the mandrel passes beyond position 4, it leaves the levers free, so that they can return Due to strong friction, a rubber bandping levers arerepresented by parts 42 and 43. In the manner of toothed wheels, they ofier to each arriving mandrel a new cut out, by turning from mandrel to mandrel by 120. In contrast to the rotatable table 44, the axes of the parts 42 and 43 are not moved. The table rotates below these parts.

The closing flap 10 is opened by the same mechanism which is used for closing the same. In the construction sown inFIG. 4 this is carried out, for example, by means of the cam disc 32; thereby, its profile is lifted again at 62.

Part 47 is essentially a disc which rotates about the axis shown in dash-and-dot line. At the point denoted 43 a ready cutting which is already provided at one edge with adhesive is supplied by glue rolls 86. The disc turns together with the cutting by 180 and places the cutting on the mandrel. The cutting can be held by suction on the disc as indicated at 85. By terminating the sucking effect the cutting is released when it is located in front of the mandrel.

Machines for producing and supplying cuttings to part 47 have been known previously. By likewise known transport devices individual cuttings are grasped and transported to point 48. A particularly simple construction can be obtained by mounting a stamping device in front of point 48 in such manner that the cutting produced is brought to the point 48 by the stamping device proper. 93 denotes a stamping die which cooperates with a part 64 moving to and fro and being driven over a connecting rod by a crank 66. From the roll 67 a paper band rolls in the direction of the arrows 68 over the feeding rollers 69. The strip 70 slides between matrix 93 and upper die 64 when these two parts are lifted from each other. When the upper die reaches the position '71, the cutting just cut off by the same is drawn by the sucking means to the part 47 and held there.

Thereby, the glue is already applied to the strip wound off from the roller, consisting e.g. of an artificial resin capable of hot sealing. It is possible to apply the glue by gluing rollers 86 between the feed rolls and the die and apply the glue in form of an aqueous dispersion.

If the cutting has been transported by the device 47 in front of the mandrel, it will be attracted by the sucking ledge 6 and held fast.

Devices for the removal of the cemented side wall from the mandrel, have been known. For example, a gripping device can touch along the outer surface of the mandrel in the direction in which the latter narrows. Thereby, it grips the edge of the cup wall and draws it along. Such gripping devices are presesd against the periphery of the mandrel by spring effect. When the to the initial position. This initial position can be defined by stops 83, 83'.

1 Another modification is shown in FIG. 6. The wrapjacket somewhat separates from the mandrel, it can be further moved for example by the effect of compressed air.

In FIGS. 5A and 5B the centers of the circle lie exactly one above the other and the same is true for the points of the triangles on the right side which are the turning points of the parts symbolized by triangles.

What is claimed is:

l. A device adapted to be used in the production of conical paper cups, comprising a mandrel about which a paper cutout may be wrapped, means for moving said mandrel along a curved path, guide means positioned adjacentthe path of movement of said mandrel and cooperating therewith for wrapping a cut-out partly about said mandrel, and a pair of wrapping levers swingably mounted at opposite sides of said path of movement of said mandrel and operable, in response to the movement of said mandrel relative to said wrapping levers, to complete the wrapping of said cut-out about said mandrel with an overlapping seam, each of said wrapping levers comprising a pair of legs arranged in the manner of tongs, and resilient means for urging the associated pair of said legs yieldingly to approach one another.

of known type which are arranged a 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising respective stop means associated with said wrapping levers for limiting the degree of opening of the mouths of the tongs to such an extent that each wrapping lever can just clamp said mandrel and the cut-out thereon when the wrapping leg of that lever is located approximately on a line connecting the axes of swinging movement of said wrapping levers.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, said wrapping lever which is located on the outside of said curved path of movement of said mandrel coming into operation last to form the overlapping seam of the wrapped-around cut-out and having its wrapping leg elongated to extend over and apply pressure to the overlapping seam, the pressureapplying edge region of said wrapping leg being provided with a plurality of teeth spaced from one another lengthwise of said mandrel, said device further comprising closing flap means composed of first and second sets of spaced presser feet in close alternating relationship with one another, said first set of presser feet being aligned with and fitting freely but fully into the respective spaces between said teeth at the pressure-applying edge region of said wrapping leg, said second set of presser feet being aligned with said teeth, respectively, first control means operable to cause said first set of presser feet to engage and press on the overlapping seam of the cut-out on said mandrel concurrently with said teeth, and second control means operable to hold said second set of presser feet normally spaced from said mandrel and to cause said secand set of presser feet to engage and press on the por- 3 tions of the overlapping seam of the cut-out intermediate said first set of presser feet concurrently with the separation of said wrapping leg from said mandrel as the movement of the latter continues, whereby the overlapping seam is at all times subjected to pressure over substantially its entire length.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pair of elastic members each associated with the wrapping leg of a respective one of said wrapping levers and adapted to be disposed between said wrapping leg and the adjacent surface of the cut-out on said mandrel and in frictional engagement with said surface, whereby during the movement of said mandrel relative to said wrapping levers said elastic members approach said mandrel and cause the cut-out to be drawn tight around said mandrel.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotatable table, and at least one other mandrel like said first-named mandrel, all of said mandrels being carried by said table, said wrapping levers being stationed adjacent said table for rotaation independently of the latter and each having a respective set of Wrapping portions adapted to be sequentially and rollingly engaged by said mandrels.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising means for rotating said table intermittently.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising means for rotating said table continuously.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF CONICAL PAPER CUPS, COMPRISING A MANDREL ABOUT WHICH A PAPER CUTOUT MAY BE WRAPPED, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MANDREL ALONG A CURVED PATH, GUIDE MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID MANDREL AND COOPERATING THEREWITH FOR WRAPPING A CUT-OUT PARTLY ABOUT SAID MANDREL, AND A PAIR OF WRAPPING LEVERS SWINGABLY MOUNTED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID MANDREL AND OPERABLE, IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MANDREL RELATIVE TO SAID WRAPPING LEVERS, TO COMPLETE THE WRAPPING OF SAID CUT-OUT ABOUT SAID MANDREL WITH AN OVERLAPPING SEAM, EACH OF SAID WRAPPING LEVERS COMPRISING A PAIR OF LEGS ARRANGED IN THE MANNER OF TONGS, AND RESILIENT MEANS FOR URGING THE ASSOCIATED PAIR OF SAID LEGS YIELDINGLY TO APPROACH ONE ANOTHER. 